EFFECT OF WELDING TECHNIQUE AND THERMAL TREATMENT PARAMETERS ON ABRASIVE WEAR OF STEEL S355

Abstract

The paper presents technological and microstructural aspects of welding and post-weld heat treatment of the S355 constructional steel welded joints. It was found that welding this steel resulted in a wide heataffected zone with diverse microstructures conducive to lower abrasive-wear resistance and worse mechanical characteristics of the steel. In this connection, the welding technique of the S355 steel was suggested, as well as conditions and parameters of the post-weld heat treatment, which made it possible to obtain – in the entire welded joint area – the microstructures characterised by high mechanical properties and increased resistance to abrasive wear. It was shown that the suggested set of technological operations applied to the S355 steel resulted, under laboratory conditions, in a significant increase of relative abrasive-wear resistance, determined by the abrasion test with use of the of loose aloxite 90.